


Together

by NeverAndAlways



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Kid Fic, M/M, Mpreg, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Poe Dameron/Finn Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-01-31 05:09:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12675054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: I know I promised, and I'm sorry it took awhile, but here it is: the last chapter of 'Apart, Together' (http://archiveofourown.org/works/5750284/chapters/13249348). I hope you guys enjoy it, 'cause I sure had fun writing it!





	Together

"Poe, I don't think this is the best place for a baby..."

"It's fine, she's not even going to remember it. And we're just making a quick stop anyway."

Finn and Poe come out of the trees and approach Maz' tent. Finn has Avia in his arms -- she's four months now, and wiggly as anything -- and she kicks her little legs as they walk. The tent is crowded and noisy as usual, but she just babbles to herself and looks around, perfectly happy in her dad's arms.

It takes a while to even get through the door. But once they're in, they find a table and sit down to wait.

Time passes.

Finn bounces Avia in his arms, and starts to get impatient.

"Poe."

"Mm?"

"You said this was a quick stop."

"They'll be here. They're probably just running late."

More time passes. Avia starts to fuss; Finn hands her over so she can nurse. And he continues to be impatient.

"I dunno, I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Babe. Seriously. I've worked with this person before, they're perfectly reputable. They're even nice as far as Rodians go, so would you please just relax?"

Finn huffs, but doesn't argue.

They wait. And they wait some more.

Poe starts to get sheepish.

"...Okay, well. Maybe they aren't coming after all." he says, half to Finn and half to Avia. "I guess I kinda led --"

"Wait, shut up for a sec. You hear that?"

"What?"

"Shh. Listen."

Poe listens. He hears nothing but the chatter and bustle of the tent. "What am I supposed to be hearing, exactly?"

"I dunno. Almost sounds like a Wookie."

He couldn't have timed that better if he'd planned it. No sooner have the words left his mouth than a Wookie appears from the crowd (how did something that big even hide in the first place?) and wraps long, hairy arms around him. He screams. And Poe laughs, which doesn't help matters.

Finn flails his way out of the embrace and turns to face his assailant. " _You?_ What are you doing here!?" Chewbacca laughs his peculiar, snuffling laugh in response. He raises one enormous hand to wave to Poe, and Finn turns on him instead. "Wait. You knew!"

"Guilty." Poe turns on his best disarming smile and waves back to Chewbacca. "You're late, buddy."

'Rurrgh.'

"No worries. Is she here?"

"Yes, she is." says a voice from somewhere behind Chewbacca. He shuffles aside.

"Rey!" Finn rushes in for a hug. A few moments of half-heard greetings follow. Several congratulations later, they pull apart, and Rey makes a beeline for Poe. Theirs is a one-armed hug; Poe apologizes when she pulls away.

"I'd give you a real hug, but I've got an armful of kid." he explains. And that's when Rey does something rather unexpected: her smile dims, and she takes a step back as though presented with a very large spider. Avia gurgles.

"Is that...?"

"This is her." Poe smiles down at his daughter. "Avia Dameron." he takes Avia's chubby hand in his own and waves to Rey. Rey's smile comes back, but it's nervous and short-lived. She congratulates them weakly.

Chewbacca, on the other hand, is a lot more enthusiastic. He sidles up next to Rey; wookiees might not smile, but there's a sparkle in his eyes as he looks down at Avia. He extends one shaggy hand and pats Poe on the shoulder, hard.

'Grruuhrhh.'

"Thanks."

"What'd he say?" Finn is still safely on the other side of the table from Chewbacca.

"He said she's beautiful," Rey translates. She still doesn't look convinced. Chewbacca glances at her, then looks back at Poe.

'Rahhruh?'

"Sure." Poe holds the baby out to Chewbacca, who picks her up with surprising gentleness. He tucks her into the crook of his arm, pulls up a chair, and sits down with her, talking to her in quiet little snuffling noises. Avia studies his face, looking unsure but not at all scared. Eventually she turns her attention to his bandolier instead.

Meanwhile, Rey pulls up a chair of her own and sits down, next to Finn and across from Chewbacca and the baby. She looks vaguely nervous as she watches Avia, as though she expects her to jump up and attack. Finn takes notice.

"Rey? You alright?"

She shrugs. "Of course, I'm fine. I just --" she makes a face, as though searching for the right words. "She's so  _tiny_."

Poe cracks a smile. "Yeah, she's not gonna be a tall kid."

They lapse into an awkward silence. Avia tries to pull one of the metal plates off the bandolier. Slowly, Rey turns a contemplative gaze on Poe; he doesn't say anything, but raises his eyebrows in curiosity. "Why weren't you together?" she asks eventually. Poe looks bemused, but Finn seems to understand.

"When Avia was born?"

She nods once and continues, still addressing Poe. "Finn said you were on the other side of the galaxy. I thought you would want him to be there when..." she gestures vaguely. Finn and Poe look at each other across the table. Finn sighs.

"It's complicated; basically, it would have been suspicious. We both had people looking for us, and it would've attracted too much attention if we were together in the same place for too long."

"Would have liked to have someone else there, though, if I'd known," adds Poe.

"Is it that bad?" Rey looks at once horrified and intensely curious.

"Let's just say I wouldn't do it again," he says with a half-hearted smile.

They lapse into silence again. Chewbacca bounces Avia on his knee; a huddle of Jawas brushes past their table. Chewbacca rumbles a few words to Poe.

"What did he say?" Finn asks again.

"He asked where we're gonna go from here," says Poe. He leans his arms on the table. "We're looking for a place to settle down for a bit. At least until Avia's a little older. After that," he shrugs. "I dunno. General Organa pulled a lot of strings to keep me from getting kicked out of the Resistance, but I'm gonna have to fly under the radar for a while. Which, uh...which is why we wanted to talk to you, actually." he and Finn exchange another glance across the table. There's a long, crowded pause.

"We want you to be her godparent," says Finn. Chewbacca looks up from his game of peekaboo with Avia. If he had eyebrows, they'd be up to the ceiling. Rey looks less than impressed.

"Her what?"

"It's kind of like an aunt," Poe explains. Rey just frowns at that, so he takes a deep breath and tries again: "Like a third parent. Sort of. Just...someone to step in and help now and then, and teach her how to be awesome." this last part comes with a smile, which Rey returns only part of. "And you'd take care of her if something ever happened to us."

'Aargruhhruh.' Chewbacca chimes in. Rey doesn't translate, but she looks thoughtful.

After a moment she says, "I'm honored. I think. But I've never even  _held_ a baby. I don't know the first thing about how to take care of one."

"Neither do we," admits Poe.

"But I don't think I'm the best choice."

"Well there's no pressure if you don't want to, but --" Chewbacca stands up suddenly, drawing his attention. "Hey, where you goin'?"

'Arrh grrahh.' With Avia still in his arms, Chewbacca shuffles across to where Rey is sitting. He looks down at her, considering; she looks up at him. It's a long way up. 'Wruuhh,' he says.

" _Me?"_ Rey sounds alarmed at his suggestion, whatever it was. "You heard me, I don't even --" she doesn't get to finish the sentence. With a gleam in his eye, Chewbacca leans down and simply plunks Avia into Rey's lap. She instinctively movies to support the baby's weight, which seems to surprise her. "...Oh." she says softly.

"Bbbpht," says Avia.

Rey looks to Finn, then to Poe. Finn is smiling; Poe just looks watchful. She doesn't move.

"It'd mean a lot to us, Rey," Finn says gently. "You'd be a great role model for her."

"Flatterer." Rey smirks. She looks Avia up and down. Avia coos and reaches for Rey's leather bracelet.

'Grrff arrrahh,' says Chewbacca.

"I know."

'Rooouhh.'

Now Rey sighs. "That doesn't sound so bad, does it?" she says, half to Avia and half to Chewbacca. Tentatively, still not quite convinced, she hoists the baby into her arms. Avia reaches out a pudgy hand and this time, Rey takes it in her own.

"Is that a yes?" asks Poe.

"It's a maybe."

"Maybe is good enough," Finn smiles. She gives him a sidelong look and a sly smile of her own. "Welcome to the family, Rey."

 

^^^^^^^

**Author's Note:**

> If you like the story, please leave a comment -- I'd love to hear from you!


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